Press feed

ABSTRACT

A feeder for delivering blanks from a heating station to a loading station of a transfer for a forging machine at a rate which corresponds to a desired feed rate for the machine. The feeder includes a loop conveyor to deliver heated blanks to a conveyor discharge station on the conveyor. A second conveyor extends from the conveyor discharge station to the loading station of the transfer. A push rod is provided at the conveyor discharge station to move the blank to a lifter mechanism which lifts the blank to a position on the second conveyor. A pusher is movable along the second conveyor from a fully retracted position to push the lifted blank along the second conveyor to the transfer loading station.

United States Patent Grombka et al.

[4 1 Mar. 28, 1972 [54] PRESS FEED The National Machinery Company,Tiffin, Ohio 22 Filed: 0a. 20, 1969 211 Appl.No.: 867,736

[73] Assignee:

Engeler.... 198/24 Fish 1 98/24 Primary Examiner-Richard E. AegerterAttorney-McNenny, Farrington, Peame and Gordon [57] ABSTRACT A feederfor delivering blanks from a heating station to a loading station of atransfer for a forging machine at a rate which corresponds to a desiredfeed rate for the machine. The feeder includes a loop conveyor todeliver heated blanks to a conveyor discharge station on the conveyor. Asecond conveyor extends from the conveyor discharge station to theloading station of the transfer. A push rod is provided at the conveyordischarge station to move the blank to a lifter mechanism which liftsthe blank to a position on the second conveyor. A pusher is movablealong the second conveyor from a fully retracted position to push thelifted blank along the second conveyor to the transfer loading station.

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PZTENTEIJ m 2 8 I972 SHEET 1 OF 5 INVENTORS:

WALTER J. GROMB/(A LLOYD B. LYON %/l mzy, 7 W

id M24 6 ATT NEYS PATENTEU m: 2 8 I972 SHEET 2 OF 5 INVENTORS:

WALTER J. GROMBKA M w m 5W ATT NEYS PATENTEDM/xm I972 SHEET 3 [1F 5 A MMV0 0 WML J.B m no fi W vH L PATENTEDMAR28 I972 SHEET [1F 5 IN VENTORS.

WALTER J. GROMBKA LLOYD B. LYON PRESS FEED BACKGROUND or THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to a machine for delivering blanks to a forgingpress at a predetermined rate. More specifically, this invention relatesto a conveyor device suitable for delivering heated blanks from afurnace to the press transfer section of a forging machine. I

An example of such a press transfer mechanism is shown in US. Pat.No.3,422,657 and includesa pair of substantially parallel beams whichextend across the horizontal'die-breast of and a forging machine pastthe die stations. These beams are supported on their ends forrectilinear movement in three directions, each of which is perpendicularto the other two directions. Gripping means are mounted on the beams andare arranged to progressively grip and move blanks to each die station.According to the teachings of US. Pat. No. 3,422,657, blanks are fed toan end loading position on the transfer and are successively carried tovarious die stations on the forging machine by the transfer beams.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a novelconveying device for delivering blanks to the transfer portion of aforging machine at a predetermined rate. The conveying device accordingto the invention permits the operator of the forging machine to directhis attention to the forging operation rather than to the feedingoperation, since the conveying device according to this invention neednot be fed at a rate which precisely corresponds to the desired feedrate for the machine.

The invention provides a loop conveyor extending between a heatingfurnace for the blanks and a conveyor discharge station. A secondconveyor extends from the conveyor discharge station to the loading endof the forging machine transfer. Means are provided to index the blanksbetween the conveyor discharge station and the transfer end feed stationat a rate which corresponds to a desired feed rate for the forgingmachine. Thus, the demand rate of the forging machine needs only beapproximated in transferring blanks from the furnace to the conveyor inaccordance with this invention.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an important object of this invention toprovide a conveyor device for feeding blanks to a transfer section of aforging machine at a rate which corresponds to a predetermined feed ratefor the forging machine.

It is a further object of this invention to providea machine forconveying rectangular forging stock from aheating furnace to thetransfer section of the forging machine.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a machine forconveying round forging stock from a heating furnace to the transfersection of a forging machine.

Further objects and advantages will appear from the followingdescription and drawings, wherein;

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conveying device according to one aspect ofthis invention, with certain portions of the device omitted for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view, the plane of the section beingindicated by the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is the remaining portion of the partial cross-sectional viewillustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a schematic control circuit for the device illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, similar to FIGS. 2 and 2A but showing amechanism for conveying round blanks according to a further aspect ofthis invention; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view with certain portions broken away, theplane of the view being indicated by the line 5--5 in Fig. 2.

FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a conveying device for feeding square orrectangular blanks to the transfer of a forging machine, such as thetransfer set forth in US. Pat. No. 3,422,657. The conveying device shownin FIGS. 1--3 includes a loop conveyor 10 which delivers blanks B fromthe output end of a furnace conveyor F to a conveyor discharge station11 on the conveyor. The conveyor 10 includes a bed formed by a pluralityof conveying sections 12. The conveying sections 12 are driven by achain 13 which extends in a loop about a driving sprocket l4 and idlersprockets 15, 16, and 17. The sprocket 14 is driven by a motor M througha reduction gear box R so that the conveyor 10 is driven in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 1. The conveyor 10 may be loaded withblanks B at a loading station 18. It should be appreciated, however,that the conveyor 10 may be loaded at any convenient location about itsextent.

Each blank B delivered to the conveyor discharge station 11 is stoppedby a plate 19 which extends across the conveyor 10. The plate 19 stopseach blank at the conveyor discharge station 11 and conditions thepneumatic circuit illustrated in FIG. 3 for operation of a conveyordischarge lever 20 which pushes the blank from the conveyor. Theconveyor discharge lever 20 has an elongated pushing face 21 which ismounted across the ends of a pair of parallel links 22 and 23. The links22 and 23 are, in turn, fixed to crank arms 24 and 25, respectively. Thecrank arms 24 and 25 are tied together by a tie rod 26 which in turn isa pivotally connected to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder 27. Thecrank arms 24 and 25 are pivoted about a cross rod 28 and the cylinder27 is pivoted at its other end to a pin 30 which is fixed to asupporting platform 31.

Since the plate 19 stops the blanks, a reservoir of blanks may bepermitted to accumulate on the conveyor to insure an adequate supply ofblanks delivered to the conveyor discharge station.

As was'previously indicated, the plate 19 not only stops a blank B atthe conveyor discharge station 11 but also conditions the hydrauliccircuit shown in Fig. 3 to operate the conveyor discharge cylinder 27.The plate 19 is pivotally connected to a pin 35 and is biased away froma valve operating switch 36 by a spring 37. When a blank B is at theconveyor discharge station 11 and butts against the plate 19, the switch36 is tripped to operate a valve 47 (FIG. 3) to connect a source offluid pressure 38 to a line 39. If a conveyor discharge prevent valve 40is in the position illustrated in Fig. 3, the conveyor dischargecylinder27 will be operated to push the blank B from the conveyordischarge station 1 1. Thus, with the valve 40 in its illustratedposition, the line 39 is connected to a line 41 and a time delayed valve42 is operated to connect a piston supply line 43 to'the source of fluidpressure via a line 44. The valve 42 insures a full stroke of theconveyor discharge cylinder 27 even if the valves 47 and/or 40 arereturned to a position exhausting the line 41 through the valve 40 orexhausting the line 39 through the valve 47, since the valve 42 isspring returned to its illustrated position against fluid pressurethrottled through a throttling valve 48 so that reversal of the valve 42is delayed for a predetermined time interval. After the valve 42 isreturned to its illustrated position, the line 43 will be exhaustedthrough the timer valve and the cylinder 27 will be retracted byaccumulated pressure in the rod end of the cylinder and in a surge line44 which is maintained at a pressure lower than line pressure when thecylinder is in its retracted position by a regulating valve 45.

After the blank B is discharged from the conveyor discharge station 11by the lever 20, the blank B is indexed along an inclined surface 50 andagainst an abutment 51 by an indexing finger 52. After the blank B ismoved against the abutment 51 by the indexing finger 52, the blank israised by a lift arm 53 until its bottom surface is aligned with thesurface of a downwardly extending conveyor chute 54 (FIG. 2A). With theblank B in such a raised position, a pusher 55 is driven from aretracted position to engage the raised blank and then push the blankalong the conveyor 54 to a loading station 56 of a transfer for aforging machine.

Operation of the conveyor discharge cylinder 27, the finger 52, thelifter 53, and the pusher 55 is all timed so that they operate in apredetermined sequence with respect to each other when a blank isproperly located at the conveyor discharge station to deliver blanks atpredetermined intervals to the transfer as a function of apredetermineddelivery rate to the transfer. Therefore, these functionsare controlled by a camshaft 57 which is driven by a sprocket 58. Thesprocket 58 is in turn driven by a chain 61, which is in turn driven bya sprocket 60 fixed to a shaft 59. The shaft 59 is preferably anextension of the cross shaft 34 shown and described in U.S. Pat. No.3,422,657.

Since each rotation of the cross shaft 34 shown in U.S. Pat. No.3,422,657 causes a lifting cycle of the transfer, the conveying cycleaccording to this invention may be related to the transfer cycle. Thus,the conveying device according to this invention may be a ratio of 1:1,1:2, 1:3, etc. of the forging machine rate by changing the ratio betweenthe drive sprocket 58 and a sprocket 60 on the shaft 59. In theembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ratio between the sprockets60 and 58 is such that the shaft 57 is driven at one-half therevolutions of the shaft 59 and, therefore, blanks will be fed to thetransfer at alternate operational cycles of the transfer shown in U.S.Pat. No. 3,422,657.

The shaft 57 carries a cam 62 which controls the operation of theconveyor discharge prevent valve 40, a cam 63 which controls theoperation of the lifter 53, and carries a cam 64 which controlsoperation of the indexing finger 52. The lifter 53 is formed by aplurality of lifting elements 70 which extend through slots in thesurface 50 to engage a blank B, which has been indexed in place againstthe abutment 51. The elements 70 are pivotally connected to the ends ofa bifurcated lifting lever 71 by pivot pins 72. The lifting lever 71 isin turn pivotally connected to a pin 73 and has a cam follower 74 at oneend of an arm portion. The cam follower 74 is springbiased against thecam 63 by compression springs 75 which surround guide rods 76. The guiderods are pivoted at one end to the lever 71 and have their other endsslidably received in bushings 77.

The indexer 52 comprises a plurality of fingers 80 which extend throughslots in the surface 50 and each of the fingers 80 comprises one end ofa crank arm 81. Each crank arm 81 is pivotally connected to a pin 82 andis rocked about the pin 82 by a crank arm 83. The crank arm 83 isconnected to each crank arm 81 by links 84 which are pivoted to thecrank arms 81 and 83. The crank arm 83 is pivotally connected to a pin85 and has a cam follower 86 which is spring-biased against the cam 64by a compression spring 87. The compression spring 87 surrounds theguide rod 88 which extends between one arm of the crank 83 and a fixedmember 89.

The pusher 55 also operates at a reciprocation rate determined by theshaft 59. The pusher 55 includes a head 90 (FIGS. 2A), which comprises aplate 91 having a plurality of rollers 92 mounted thereon. The rollers92 guide the head 90 along a guide beam 93 which is fixed to a framemember 94. The plate 91 has a drive rod 95 pivoted thereto. The otherend of the drive rod 95 is pivotally connected to a crank arm 96 whichis in turn pivotally connected to a pin 97 mounted on the supportingplatform 31. The crank arm 96 is pivoted to a driving link 98 and thelink 98 is pivoted to the periphery of a drive wheel 99 on the shaft 59.Thus, each rotation of the shaft 59 reciprocates the head 55 from afully retracted position, across the location of a blank raised by thelifter 53 to drive the blank along the surface of the downwardlyextending conveyor chute 54.

As may be seen most clearly in FIG. 5, the crank arm 96 is provided witha relieving mechanism to prevent damage to the crank arm 96 and/or otherassociated mechanisms if jamming occurs. The crank arm 96 includes afirst link 200 which is pivotally connected to the drive rod 95. Asecond link 201 is fixed to the link 200 by bolts 202, and, to eliminateundue sheer stresses on the bolts 202, a key 203 is provided between thelinks 200 and 201. A block 204 is welded to the link 201 and has an endface 205 which is spaced from an end portion 206 of a crank arm link207.

The links 207 and 201 are separately journaled on the pin 97 and arenormally connected together by a detent mechanism 208. The detentmechanism 208 includes a ball 209 positioned in a bore 210 in the block204. The ball 209 is biased within a socket 211 provided in the endportion 206 by a relatively strong spring 212. Thus, the crank arm link207 is driven by the driving link 98 and the crank arm link 207 drivesthe link 200 which is normally connected thereto by the spring detentmechanism 208. If jamming should occur, however, the crank arm link 207will be disassociated from the link 200 if the jamming force exceeds thebias of the spring 212. This feature ensures that the crank arm 96 willnot be permanently damaged by jamming.

A projecting portion 100 of the pusher 55 engages the blank B during thepushing operation. The projecting portion 100 includes a lever 101 whichis pivoted to a pin 102. A link 103 is pivoted at one end to the lever101 and is pivoted at its other end to a cross arm 104. The cross arm104 is pivotally connected to the plate 91 by a pin 105 and has a guiderod 106 which extends through a projection 107 on the plate 91. A

spring 108 biases the cross arm 104 rearwardly so that the lever 101 isretained in its illustrated position. When the pusher 55 reaches the endof its stroke, the cross arm 104 butts against an adjustable pin 109 onthe frame 94 to swing the lever 101 about its pivot pin 102 against thebias of the spring 108. This movement properly locates the blank B tothe loading station 56 of the transfer.

The loading station 56 includes a platform 110 which serves as a rejecttrip platform to discharge a defective or improperly heated blank fromthe load station. The platform 110 is pivoted about a pin 1 l 1 and hasa link 112 pivotally connected thereto. The link 112 is, in turn,pivotally connected to a crank arm 113 which is driven by a piston 114.Retraction of the piston causes the crank arm 113 to rotate in acounterclockwise direction to drop the platform 110 and discharge theblank B prior to transfer operations.

Proper sequential operation of the conveying device shown in FIGS. 1through 3 is dependent upon the relative angular positions of the cams62, 63, and 64 on the camshaft 57. Thus, assuming the illustrated 1:2ratio between the rotation of the shaft 59 and the rotation of thecamshaft 57, the conveyor discharge prevent valve 40, the finger 52, andthe lifter 53 are operated in a timed relationship with alternatestrokes of the pusher 55. As the pusher 55 approaches the end of one ofits forward alternate strokes, the cam 62 shifts the valve 40 from itsillustrated position to a position which vents the line 41. The cam 61maintains the valve 40 in this position until the pusher 55 clears theconveyor discharge station 11 during its return stroke. During thisinterval, the conveyor discharge cylinder 27 is inoperative, but, duringall other intervals, a blank B butting against the plate 19 will permitoperation of the conveyor discharge cylinder 27 and will be dischargedonto the surface 50. During retraction of the pusher 55, and while theconveyor discharge prevent valve 40 vents the line 41, the cam 63operates the finger 52 to index a blank B against the abutment 51. Justprior to the complete retraction of the pusher 55, the finger 52 isreturned to its illustrated position at the same time that the conveyordischarge prevent valve 40 is returned to its illustrated position. Justprior to complete retraction of the pusher 55, and just after the finger52 and the prevent valve 40 are returned to their illustrated positions,the cam 64 operates the lifter 53 to move the blank B upwardly as thepusher 55 begins its forward stroke. All of these operations may besynchronized with the operation of the transfer according to U.S. Pat.No. 3,422,657 if the shaft 59 comprises the cross shaft 34 shown in thatpatent.

According to a further aspect of this invention, a conveying device isprovided for feeding round blanks to the transfer of a forging machine,such as the transfer set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,422,657. As is shownin Fig. 4, such a conveying device may be provided in a loop conveyorsimilar to the loop conveyor 10 illustrated in Fig. 1 and 2. The loopconveyor delivers cylindrical blanks C to a conveyor similar dischargestation 131 and each blank C delivered to the conveyor discharge station131 is stopped by a plate (not shown) similar to the plate 19 shown inFig. l. The plate stops each blank C at the conveyor discharge station131 and each blank so stopped is immediately discharged by a conveyordischarge push rod 132 which operates in response to the plate to pusheach blank C from the conveyor. The push rod 132 is actuated by apneumatic cylinder 133 which is similar in operation to the pneumaticcylinder 27 shown in Fig. 1 through 3.

After a blank C is discharged from the conveyor discharge station 131 bythe push rod 132, the blank C rolls down an inclined surface 134 andagainst an abutment 135. After the blank C rolls against the abutment135, the blank is raised by a lift arm 136 until it is positioned withina gated pocket 137 provided at the end of a pusher 138. The pusher 138is then advanced to its solid outline position in Fig. 4 to move theblank C along an inclined conveying surface 139 to a transfer loadstation 140.

Operation of the lifter 136 and the pusher 138 is timed so that theseelements operate in a predetermined sequence with respect to each otherto deliver blanks at predetermined intervals to the transfer as afunction of a predetermined delivery rate to the transfer. The operationof the lifter 136 is controlled by a camshaft 141 which is driven by asprocket 142. The sprocket 142 is in turn driven by a chain from asprocket on a shaft 143. The shaft 143 is preferably an extension of thecross shaft 34 shown and described in U.S. Pat. 3,422,657.

The camshaft 141 has a cam 141a which controls the operation of thelifter 136. The lifter 136 is pivotally connected to a crank arm 144,which in turn is pivoted about a pin 145. The crank arm 144 has a camfollower 146 which is biased against the cam 143 by a spring 147. Eachrotation of the camshaft 141 causes the lifter 136 to raise a blank Cinto the gated pocket 137.

The pusher 138 includes a plate 148 which is guided along a guide track149 by rollers 150. An adjustable length link 151 is pivotally connectedto one end of the plate 148 and is pivotally connected at its other endto a crank arm 152. The crank arm 152 is pivotally connected to a pin153. The crank arm 152 is driven by a drive rod 154 and the drive rod154 is in turn pivotally connected to a drive wheel 155 on the shaft143. For each rotation of the shaft 143, the pusher 138 is driventhrough one cycle of its operation between the fully retracted positionillustrated in dotted outline and its fully advanced positionillustrated in solid outline.

The crank arm 152 includes a relieving mechanism 152a. The mechanism152a is not shown in detail, but is generally similar to the relievingmechanism shown in FIG. 5.

The ratio between the sprocket on the drive shaft 143 and the sprocket142 determines the relationship between the operation of the lifter 136and the operation of the pusher 138. Thus, the pusher 138 may operateone or more times for each operation of the lifter 136, depending uponthe ratio between the sprocket on the shaft 143 and the sprocket 142. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the lifter 136 operates during alternatestrokes of the pusher 138.

The cam 141a is positioned on the camshaft 41 so that the lifter 136 issubstantially in its fully raised position when the pusher 138 is in itsfully retracted position, with the drive rod 154 at bottom dead center.The blank C is thereby raised into the gated pocket 137 and is driven bythe pusher along the conveyor 139 prior to retraction of the lifter 136.

When the pusher 138 reaches the end of its stroke, the gated pocket 137opens to permit the blank C to roll onto the surface 140. The gatedpocket 137 is pivotally connected to the plate 148 by a pin 156 and hasa link 157 pivotally connected thereto by a pin 158. The link 157 ispivotally connected at its other end to a link 159 which in turn ispivoted to the plate 148 by a pin 160. When the pusher 138 reaches theend of its stroke, the link 159 engages a fixed stop 161 on the guidetrack 149 to swing the link 159 about its pin-160 and to thereby raisethe gated pocket 137.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated, it isto be understood that various modifications and rearrangements of partsmay be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A feeder for delivering blanks from a heating station to a loadingstation of a transfer for a forging machine at a rate which correspondsto a desired feed rate for the machine, said feeder including conveyormeans to deliver heated blanks to a conveyor discharge station on theconveyor, means defining a path from said conveyor discharge station toa loading station of a transfer, blank moving means for moving a blankdelivered to said conveyor discharge station from said discharge stationto a first position on said path defining means, lifter means to liftsaid blank from said first position to a second position on said pathdefining means, pusher means having a blank engaging portion, saidpusher means being reciprocable from a retracted position wherein saidblank engaging portion engages a blank at said second position on saidpath and then moves the blank along said path to an extended position tocarry said blank to said loading station at a reciprocation ratecorresponding to the desired feed rate, means to operate said blankmoving means when the pusher is in its retracted position, and rotatablymounted shaft means adapted to be driven at a predetermined rotationalspeed, means responsive to rotation of said shaft means to establish thereciprocation rate of said pusher, said means to operate said blankmoving means being responsive to rotation of said shaft to establish thesequence of operation of said blank moving means.

2. A feeder according to claim 1, including stop means at said conveyordischarge station to permit blanks to accumulate on said conveyor toinsure an adequate supply of blanks delivered to said station.

3. A feeder according to claim 1 wherein said conveyor means to providedwith means to sense the presence or absence of a blank at said conveyordischarge station, said blank moving means being operable in response tosaid sensing means only when (a) the sensing means senses the presenceof a blank, (b) the pusher is in its retracted position, and (c) thelifter means is in its lowered position.

4. A feeder according to claim 2 wherein said sensing means includes amovable plate extending across said conveyor discharge station which ismoved by a blank conveyed to said station and wherein said means tooperate said blank moving means comprises cylinder means, line meansconnecting said cylinder means to a source of fluid pressure, saidcylinder means being operable when connected to said source and beingretracted to a non-operable position when said line is exhausted, firstand second valve means in said line means, each of said valve meansbeing in a normal position exhausting said line and being operable toconnect said cylinder means alternately to said fluid pressure sourceand to exhaust, said first valve means being operated in response tomovement of said plate to partially connect said line to said fluidpressure source, and said second valve means completing said connectionwhen the pusher is in its retracted position and the lifter means is inits lowered position.

5. A feeder according to claim 1 wherein said conveyor means comprisesan endless loop conveyor.

6. A feeder for delivering blanks from a heating station to a loadingstation of a transfer for a forging machine at a rate which correspondsto a desired feed rate for the machine, said feeder including a loopconveyor to deliver heated blanks to a conveyor discharge station onsaid conveyor, means defining a downwardly extending path from saidconveyor discharge station to the loading station of a transfer, saidpath having first and second portions, said first path portion beinglower than the second path portion and being separated from said secondpath portion by an abutment, blank moving means to move a blankdelivered to said conveyor discharge station from said discharge stationonto said first path portion, lifter means to move a blank from saidfirst path portion to the level of said second path portion, a pusherhaving a blank-engaging portion, said pusher being reciprocable along aguide track from a retracted position above said first path portion,along said second path portion, and then to an extended position tocarry said blank at said second path portion to said loading station,

crank arm means pivotally connected to said pusher, drive shaft meansfor driving said crank arm to reciprocate said pusher, camshaft meansdriven by said drive shaft means, means operable in response to rotationof said camshaft means to permit operation of said blank moving meansonly when said pusher is in its retracted position.

7. A feeder according to claim 6, including means to operate said liftermeans, said lifter operating means being operated in response torotation of said camshaft only when said pusher is in its'retractedposition.

8. A feeder according to claim 7, wherein said loop conveyor is providedwith means to sense the presence or absence of a blank at said conveyordischarge station, said blank moving means being operable in response tosaid sensing means only when (a) the sensing means senses the presenceof a blank, (b) the pusher is in its retracted position, and (c) thelifter means is in its lowered position.

9. A feeder according to claim 8 wherein said sensing means includes amovable plate extending across said conveyor discharge station which ismoved by a blank conveyed to said station, and wherein said blank movingmeans is operated by cylinder means, line means connecting said cylindermeans to a source of fluid pressure, said cylinder means being operablewhen connected to said source and being retracted to a nonoperableposition when said line is exhausted, first and second valve means insaid line means, each of said valve means being in a normal positionexhausting said line and being operable to connect said cylinder meansalternately to said fluid pressure source and to exhaust, said firstvalve means being operated in response to movement of said plate topartially connect said line to said fluid pressure source and saidsecond valve means operating in response to rotation of said camshaft tocomplete said connection when the pusher is in its retracted positionand the lifter is in its lowered position.

1. A feeder for delivering blanks from a heating station to a loadingstation of a transfer for a forging machine at a rate which correspondsto a desired feed rate for the machine, said feeder including conveyormeans to deliver heated blanks to a conveyor discharge station on theconveyor, means defining a path from said conveyor discharge station toa loading station of a transfer, blank moving means for moving a blankdelivered to said conveyor discharge station from said discharge stationto a first position on said path defining means, lifter means to liftsaid blank from said first position to a second position on said pathdefining means, pusher means having a blank engaging portion, saidpusher means being reciprocable from a retracted position wherein saidblank engaging portion engages a blank at said second position on saidpath and then moves the blank along said path to an extended position tocarry said blank to said loading station at a reciprocation ratecorresponding to the desired feed rate, means to operate said blankmoving means when the pusher is in its retracted position, and rotatablymounted shaft means adapted to be driven at a predetermined rotationalspeed, means responsive to rotation of said shaft means to establish thereciprocation rate of said pusher, said means to operaTe said blankmoving means being responsive to rotation of said shaft to establish thesequence of operation of said blank moving means.
 2. A feeder accordingto claim 1, including stop means at said conveyor discharge station topermit blanks to accumulate on said conveyor to insure an adequatesupply of blanks delivered to said station.
 3. A feeder according toclaim 1 wherein said conveyor means is provided with means to sense thepresence or absence of a blank at said conveyor discharge station, saidblank moving means being operable in response to said sensing means onlywhen (a) the sensing means senses the presence of a blank, (b) thepusher is in its retracted position, and (c) the lifter means is in itslowered position.
 4. A feeder according to claim 3 wherein said sensingmeans includes a movable plate extending across said conveyor dischargestation which is moved by a blank conveyed to said station and whereinsaid means to operate said blank moving means comprises cylinder means,line means connecting said cylinder means to a source of fluid pressure,said cylinder means being operable when connected to said source andbeing retracted to a non-operable position when said line is exhausted,first and second valve means in said line means, each of said valvemeans being in a normal position exhausting said line and being operableto connect said cylinder means alternately to said fluid pressure sourceand to exhaust, said first valve means being operated in response tomovement of said plate to partially connect said line to said fluidpressure source, and said second valve means completing said connectionwhen the pusher is in its retracted position and the lifter means is inits lowered position.
 5. A feeder according to claim 1 wherein saidconveyor means comprises an endless loop conveyor.
 6. A feeder fordelivering blanks from a heating station to a loading station of atransfer for a forging machine at a rate which corresponds to a desiredfeed rate for the machine, said feeder including a loop conveyor todeliver heated blanks to a conveyor discharge station on said conveyor,means defining a downwardly extending path from said conveyor dischargestation to the loading station of a transfer, said path having first andsecond portions, said first path portion being lower than the secondpath portion and being separated from said second path portion by anabutment, blank moving means to move a blank delivered to said conveyordischarge station from said discharge station onto said first pathportion, lifter means to move a blank from said first path portion tothe level of said second path portion, a pusher having a blank-engagingportion, said pusher being reciprocable along a guide track from aretracted position above said first path portion, along said second pathportion, and then to an extended position to carry said blank at saidsecond path portion to said loading station, crank arm means pivotallyconnected to said pusher, drive shaft means for driving said crank armto reciprocate said pusher, camshaft means driven by said drive shaftmeans, means operable in response to rotation of said camshaft means topermit operation of said blank moving means only when said pusher is inits retracted position.
 7. A feeder according to claim 6, includingmeans to operate said lifter means, said lifter operating means beingoperated in response to rotation of said camshaft only when said pusheris in its retracted position.
 8. A feeder according to claim 7, whereinsaid loop conveyor is provided with means to sense the presence orabsence of a blank at said conveyor discharge station, said blank movingmeans being operable in response to said sensing means only when (a) thesensing means senses the presence of a blank, (b) the pusher is in itsretracted position, and (c) the lifter means is in its lowered position.9. A feeder according to claim 8 wherein said sensing means includes amovable plate extending across said coNveyor discharge station which ismoved by a blank conveyed to said station, and wherein said blank movingmeans is operated by cylinder means, line means connecting said cylindermeans to a source of fluid pressure, said cylinder means being operablewhen connected to said source and being retracted to a non-operableposition when said line is exhausted, first and second valve means insaid line means, each of said valve means being in a normal positionexhausting said line and being operable to connect said cylinder meansalternately to said fluid pressure source and to exhaust, said firstvalve means being operated in response to movement of said plate topartially connect said line to said fluid pressure source and saidsecond valve means operating in response to rotation of said camshaft tocomplete said connection when the pusher is in its retracted positionand the lifter is in its lowered position.